# Massage Therapists

US SOC code 31-9011. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/31-9011

Also called: Licensed massage therapist, LMT, Certified massage therapist, CMT, Clinical massage therapist.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **98,790** US massage therapists, with median pay of **$58,450** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2003, the highest was **107,240**, in May 2019. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://www.amtamassage.org/publications/massage-therapy-journal/history-of-massage/) of **10,000** from 1900, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for massage therapists: Practice management software and digital scheduling, 2010 to 2023.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 15.3% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=31-9011&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **18.5%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend. In May 2021 BLS changed how it estimates these counts (a model-based method using three years of survey data) and moved fully to the 2018 occupation codes, so part of a change across 2021 can come from the method rather than the work.

## Massage Therapists employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1856
- Latest US employment: 98,790 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [4]
- Latest US median pay: $58,450 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [8]
- Outlook: +15.3% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [22]

### In other countries

The latest figure each country's statistics agency publishes for this job. Each uses its own occupation definition, survey basis and currency, so the numbers are not directly comparable with each other or with the US figures.

- **Canada** (NOC 32201)
  - Employment, 2020: 37,720. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [6]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021: number of persons with employment income in NOC 32201 Massage therapists, Canada, reference year 2020. A recipients basis (anyone with employment income during the year), slightly broader than a point-in-time employed count. Statistics Canada Open Licence.
  - Median pay, 2020: C$29,200. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [10]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021 (Table 98-10-0586): median employment income for NOC 32201 Massage therapists, Canada, reference year 2020, full-year full-time workers (the basis comparable to the US OEWS full-time median). Statistics Canada Open Licence.

### All 27 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1900 | 10,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., AMTA [1] |
| 1943 | 5,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., AMTA Timeline [2] |
| 1990 | 30,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., AMTA Timeline [2] |
| 2000 | 97,000 | $22,000 (estimate) | BLS CPS 2000 [3] |
| 2003 | 29,940 | $28,670 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [4] |
| 2004 | 32,200 | $31,960 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [4] |
| 2005 | 37,670 | $32,890 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [4] |
| 2006 | 41,920 | $33,400 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [4] |
| 2007 | 45,920 | $34,870 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [4] |
| 2008 | 51,250 | $34,900 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [4] |
| 2009 | 55,920 | $35,230 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [4] |
| 2010 | 60,040 | $34,900 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [4] |
| 2011 | 63,810 | $35,830 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [4] |
| 2012 | 71,040 | $35,970 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [4] |
| 2013 | 79,040 | $35,920 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [4] |
| 2014 | 87,670 | $37,180 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [4] |
| 2015 | 92,090 | $38,040 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [4] |
| 2016 | 95,830 | $39,860 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [4] |
| 2017 | 103,300 | $39,990 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [4] |
| 2018 | 105,160 | $41,420 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [4] |
| 2019 | 107,240 | $42,820 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [4] |
| 2020 | 85,040 | $43,620 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [4] |
| 2021 | 81,030 | $46,910 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [4] |
| 2022 | 86,270 | $49,860 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [4] |
| 2023 | 92,650 | $55,310 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [4] |
| 2024 | 96,040 | $57,950 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [4] |
| 2025 | 98,790 | $58,450 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [4] |

## Sources (89)

### Employment series

1. [AMTA — Brush Up on the History of the Massage Therapy Profession (Massage Therapy Journal)](https://www.amtamassage.org/publications/massage-therapy-journal/history-of-massage/), American Massage Therapy Association
2. [AMTA Timeline — History of the American Massage Therapy Association (1943 founding)](https://www.amtamassage.org/about/timeline/), American Massage Therapy Association
3. [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook 2002-03 Edition — Massage Therapists held about 97,000 jobs in 2000](https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/title/occupational-outlook-handbook-3964/occupational-outlook-handbook-2002-03-edition-583138), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
4. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
5. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
6. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Wage series

7. [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook 2002-03 Edition (FRASER archive) — Massage Therapists wage range reference](https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/title/occupational-outlook-handbook-3964/occupational-outlook-handbook-2002-03-edition-583138), Bureau of Labor Statistics / FRASER
8. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
9. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
10. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Tool eras

11. [AMTA — Brush Up on the History of the Massage Therapy Profession](https://www.amtamassage.org/publications/massage-therapy-journal/history-of-massage/), American Massage Therapy Association
12. [Nordstjernan — Per Henrik Ling and Swedish Massage (Ling system history)](https://nordstjernan.com/news/sweden/1207/), Nordstjernan
13. [The Evolution of Massage Therapy in the United States (cnwsmt.com)](https://www.cnwsmt.com/post/the-evolution-of-massage-therapy-in-the-united-states-a-historical-journey), CNWSMT
14. [AMTA Timeline — NCBTMB certification established 1992; 17-state licensing wave of the 1990s](https://www.amtamassage.org/about/timeline/), American Massage Therapy Association
15. [Massage Envy franchise history — first location 2002, scaling through the 2000s](https://massagestrong.com/massage-therapy-statistics-in-the-united-states/), Massage Strong
16. [MassageBook — Practice Management Software for Massage Therapists (founded 2012)](https://pro.massagebook.com/), MassageBook
17. [ClinicSense — Massage Therapy Software for Independent Practitioners](https://clinicsense.com/professions/massage-therapy-software), ClinicSense
18. [Noterro Scribe — AI Voice-to-SOAP Documentation for Massage and Healthcare Practices](https://www.noterro.com/features/soap-notes-software), Noterro
19. [Fortune / Bloomberg — Aescape raises $83M, deploys robotic massage at Equinox (March 2025)](https://fortune.com/well/2025/03/04/ai-massage-startup-aescape-equinox/), Fortune
20. [Aescape — TIME 200 Best Inventions of 2024 (commercial deployment at Four Seasons and Equinox)](https://time.com/collections/best-inventions-2024/7094771/aescape/), TIME Magazine
21. [AMTA — Diverse Perspectives on Massage and AI (2024)](https://www.amtamassage.org/about/news/massage-and-ai/), American Massage Therapy Association

### Forecasts and exposure studies

22. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 31-9011 Massage therapists (2025: 155.4 thousand; 2035: 179.1 thousand; +15.3%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=31-9011&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
23. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 31-9011.00, human-rated β 0.185)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

24. [AMTA — Brush Up on the History of the Massage Therapy Profession (Taylor brothers, 1856)](https://www.amtamassage.org/publications/massage-therapy-journal/history-of-massage/), American Massage Therapy Association
25. [History of Massage Therapy (Hocking College blog) — Ohio 1916 first licensing, Agnes Forbes](https://blog.hocking.edu/the-history-of-massage-therapy), Hocking College
26. [AMTA Timeline — 1943 AAMM founding; August 16, 1943 (Chicago)](https://www.amtamassage.org/about/timeline/), American Massage Therapy Association
27. [Massage Strong — Massage Therapy Statistics: franchise industry growth and Massage Envy history](https://massagestrong.com/massage-therapy-statistics-in-the-united-states/), Massage Strong
28. [Aescape — TIME 200 Best Inventions of 2024; Four Seasons Baltimore deployment December 2024](https://time.com/collections/best-inventions-2024/7094771/aescape/), TIME Magazine

### Predecessors & successors

29. [AMTA — Brush Up on the History of the Massage Therapy Profession (colonial-era "rubbers" and medical gymnasts)](https://www.amtamassage.org/publications/massage-therapy-journal/history-of-massage/), American Massage Therapy Association
30. [AMTA Timeline — profession separated from physical therapy after 1983 renaming](https://www.amtamassage.org/about/timeline/), American Massage Therapy Association
31. [AMTA 2026 Massage Profession Research Report — 82% of therapists came from a different career](https://www.amtamassage.org/publications/massage-industry-fact-sheet/), American Massage Therapy Association

### Present-day analysis

- [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — Massage Therapists (2024-2034, 15% growth)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/massage-therapists.htm), accessed 2026-06-05
- [O\*NET 30.3 — Massage Therapists (31-9011.00)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/31-9011.00), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-06-05
- [AMTA 2026 Massage Profession Research Report — Industry Fact Sheet](https://www.amtamassage.org/publications/massage-industry-fact-sheet/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [AMTA — Diverse Perspectives: Massage and AI (2024)](https://www.amtamassage.org/about/news/massage-and-ai/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Aescape — $83M Series B, robotic massage deployed at Equinox (Bloomberg, Mar 2025)](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-04/ai-massage-startup-raises-83-million-brings-robots-to-equinox), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Microsoft Research — Massage Therapy Among Least AI-Affected Professions (Jul 2025)](https://www.rccmassage.com/blog/massage-therapy-ai-proof-career-microsoft-study), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Noterro — AI Medical Scribe (Noterro Scribe) for Massage Therapy](https://www.noterro.com/features/soap-notes-software), accessed 2026-06-05
- [AI SOAP notes save therapists 25-30 hours per month on documentation](https://goodhandsmassagetherapy.com/advanced-soap-notes-software-for-massage-therapists-the-2025-complete-guide/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Top AI SOAP Note Tools in 2026 (Tested by Real Clinicians) — Twofold](https://www.trytwofold.com/blog/top-ai-soap-notes-tools), accessed 2026-06-05
- [ClinicSense — Kodee Marketing Assistant for Automated Client Retention](https://clinicsense.com/professions/massage-therapy-software), accessed 2026-06-05
- [MassageBook — Practice Management Software for Massage Therapists](https://pro.massagebook.com/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [AI scheduling tools save massage therapists 6-8 hours per week on admin tasks](https://aionx.co/healthcare/best-ai-massage-therapists/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Best Insurance Billing Software for Massage Therapists 2025](https://goodhandsmassagetherapy.com/best-insurance-billing-software-for-massage-therapists-in-2025-eclaims-soap-integration-and-pricing/), accessed 2026-06-05

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.